Went back to Paso for the first time since 2018 and visited 10 of the more than 200 wineries.. What follows is a summary of those visits. Obviously there are lots of great wineries and great wine I did not get a chance to try.
Biggest change in the years we have been visiting is the fact that Rhone varietals have surpassed zinfandel as the dominant wines of Paso. I was also surprised at the increasing role that Petit Verdot and Tannat are playing. In addition to being used in blends they are both being featured in single varietal bottlings.
Paso is no longer a place to go for inexpensive wine and wine tasting. Most wines are well north of $40 and tasting fees at least $25. After I looked at the pricing at a couple of the wineries I had to look at Google Maps on my phone to make sure I wasn't in Napa. That said the wine and the experience was wonderful and well worth only being able to afford store brand grocery's for the next few weeks.
To help you I rated the wines tasted on a 100 point scale. Scores in the 80’s mean the wine is good, high 80’s being very good, low 90’s outstanding. My palate tends to be more old world that prefers balance and complexity to an over abundance of fruit. If you prefer wines that are more fruit forward your ratings will be higher than mine.
Because wine tasting is more than the wine I also rated the winery tasting experience on a 100 point scale with 65 points for the overall quality of the wines, 15 points for the reasonableness of the wine prices and tasting room fees given the quality of the wine and the experience, 10 points for the knowledge, flexibility, and engagement of the host, and 10 points for general environment (tasting room comfort, views, decorations, etc..) I would view anything over 80 points as worth a visit, so all of these wineries would be in that category. There were no bad wineries and I did not have any bad wines. It was just varying degrees of good.
So in ascending order here are my ratings of the wines and wineries I visited (Click:on the winery name to go to their website).
Venteux: 82 Points (57 Wine, 12 Value, 6 Host, 7 Tasting Environment)
$25 Tasting fee waived with a 2 bottle purchase.
Summary: Nice wines but the tasting seemed rushed and our host was distracted. There was a big group attending that seemed to take a lot of the staff's attention. They are not open to letting you try something that is not on the tasting list.
2021 Viognier, 90 Points, $48
2018 Estate Cuvee (40% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Syrah), 88 Points, $58
2019 Mourvèdre, 87 Points, $58
2019 Farmhouse Cuvee (40% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Syrah,) 87 Points, $52
2020 Grenache, 87 Points, $52
2018 DF Cabernet Sauvignon, 87 Points, $72.
Brecon Estate 85 Points (58 Wine, 12 Value, 7 Host, 8 Tasting Environment)
$30 Tasting fee waived for each 2 bottle purchase.
Summary: Rhone, Zin, Bordeaux. Spanish. Great tasting bar that opens to the outside Was disappointing because when we visited in 2018 they had a single varietal Mourvèdre that caused me to have a Harry met Sally reaction. Because their most recent vintage has not been released so there was no single varietal Mourvèdre available.
2022 Last Sandwich, (90% Alberino, 10% Viognier) 90 Points, $42.
2020 Petit Verdot, 90 Points, $74
2020 Malbec, 88 Points, $68
2020 Meritage (52% Cab Sauvignon, 39% Petit Verdot, 9% Malbec), 88 Points, $69
2020 Zinfandel, 87 Points, $64
Jada 85 (58 Wine, 11 Value, 7 Host, 9 Tasting Environment)
$25 Tasting fee waived with a 2 bottle purchase.
Summary: Beautiful outdoor tasting area. Rhone, Spanish, Bordeaux, Tannat. Make sure you have room on your credit card if you want to purchase wine.
2018 WCS Tannat, 90 Points, $88
2019 Hell’s Kitchen (55% Syrah, 17% Graciano, 16% Grenache,12% Tannat), 89 Points, $72
2018 Strayts Merlot, 89 Points, $67
2018 Sawbones (47% Cab.Sauvignon, 42% Syrah, 8% Petit Verdot, 3% Graciano), 89 Points, $92
2019 Passing By (87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot, 1% Petite Sirah), 88 Points, $92
2021 1149 Grenache Rose, 87 Points, $39.
Law Estate 85 Points (58 Wine, 10 Value, 7 Host, 10 tasting environment)
Tasting Fee $40 applied to any 2 bottle Purchase
Summary: Amazing location, outstanding wine, one of the most expensive winery we visited but you will be glad you did it. Rhone varietals with some Bordeaux.
2019 First Tracks (42% Petit Verdot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Syrah) 91 Points, $85
2019 Sagacious (39% Mourvèdre, 31% Grenache, 30% Syrah) 90 Points $85
2021 Rose (66% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 4% Carignan) 90 Points $39.
2021 Soph (47% Roussanne, 29% Marsanne, 24% Clairette Blanche) 90 Points $85
2019 Beguiling (88% Grenache, 12% Syrah) 88 Points $85
2019 Audacious (31% Grenache, 26% Cab. Sauvignon, 26% Carignan, 17% Syrah) 87 Points $85
Caliza 85 Points (57 Wine, 11 Value, 9 Host, 8 Tasting Environment)
$30 Tasting Fee Waived with each 2 bottle purchase.
Summary: Rhone, Spanish, Bordeaux. Cozy tasting room with indoor and outdoor seating. Top tier of wine pricing.
2020 Azimuth (44% Mourvèdre, 29% Grenache, 27% Syrah), 91 Points, $75
2020 Kan-Kret Grenache, 89 Points, $75
2022 Kissin Cousins (38% Viognier, 33% Grenache Blanc, 20% Picpoul, 10% Roussanne) 88 Points, $40.
2019 Syrah, 88 Points $75
2019 Companion (55% Cabernet, Sauvignon, 35% Syrah, 10% Petit Verdot), 87 Points, $75
2019 Sympatico (80% Tempranillo, 14% Grenache, 6% Mourvèdre), 87 Points, $80
Jack Creek 86 Points (57 Wine, 13 Value, 8 Host, 8 Tasting Environment)
$20 Tasting fee waived with a two bottle Purchase.
Summary: Nice change of pace. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Rhone. Beautiful outdoor seating.
2020 Estate Chardonnay, 89 Points, $36
2019 Estate Grenache. 89 Points. $52
2022 “Glow” Rose of Pinot Noir, 88 Points, $28
2020 Estate Pinot Noir. 88 Points. $48.
2020 Hillside Reserve Pinot Noir. 88 Points. $56.
Clesi 86 Points (58 Wine, 14 Value, 9 Host, 5 Tasting Environment)
$20 Tasting fee waived for each bottle purchased.
Summary: Nice change of pace specializing in Italian varieties. We were lucky to have one of the owners do the pouring. Lowest tasting fee and fee waiver requirement.
2019 Sangiovese, 90 Points,$45
2019 Aglianico, 90 Points, $50
2021 Malvasia Bianca. 88 Points. $34
2022 Rose of Aglianico, 88 Points, $34.00
2019 Nero d’Avola, 88 Points, $40.00
2020 Convivo (66% Sangiovese, 33% Cabernet) , 88 Points, $45
Jacob Toft 86 Points (58 Wine, 13 Value, 9 Host, 6 Tasting Environment)
Tasting fee $25 refunded with each 2 bottle purchase.
Summary: Small Tin City tasting room, great mostly Rhone varietals sourced from some of the top vineyards in the area. Great Find.
2019 Stolpman Vineyard Syrah (100% Syrah) 90 Points $60
2019 2019 Erinna’s Cuvee (46% Zinfandel, 40% Petite Sirah, 14% Mourvèdre) 90 Points, $60.
2021 Sarah’s Cuvee (A blend of 100% Syrah from two different vineyards) 90 Points, $60
2020 Tessa’s Cuvee (61% Syrah, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Petit Verdot 89 Points, $60.
2018 Coral Ruth’s Cuvee (62% Syrah, 28% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre) 88 Points, $60
2019 Maggie’s Cuvee (75% Petite Sirah, 17% Grenache, 8% Mourvèdre) 87 Points, $60
Tablas Creek 87 Points (57 Wine, 13 Value, 9 Host, 8 Tasting Environment)
$25 Tasting Fee Waived with 2 Bottle Purchase
Summary: Winery most responsible for putting Paso Rhone wines on the map. Large outdoor seating area and large and well appointed tasting room. Knowledgeable staff. Have both red and white flights we tried both.
2020 Full Circle Pinot Noir. 90 Points $45.
2020 Grenache Noir. 90 Points. $45
2028 Esprit De Tablas (40% Mourvèdre, 27% Syrah, 23% Grenache, 10% Counoise) 90 Points. $70
2022 Vermentino. 89 Points. $35
2021 Cotes De Tablas (47% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 15% Counoise, 8% Mourvèdre). 89 Points $40
2019 Esprit De Tablas (39% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 21% Syrah, 10% Counoise). 88 Points. $65.
2013 Esprit De Tablas Blanc (71% Roussanne, 21% Grenache Blanc, 8% Picpoul). 87 Points. $65.
2022 Dianthus Rose (45% Mourvèdre, 38% Grenache, 16% Counoise, 1%) 87 Points. $40.
2022 Patelin De Tablas Rose (67% Grenache, 21% Mourvèdre, 9% Counoise, 3% Vermentino). 86 Points $28.
2020 Tannat. 86 Points. $45.
2020 Counoise. 86 Points. $40.
2016 Roussanne. 85 Points. $55.
Cypher 88 (58 Wine, Value 14, 9 Host,, 7 Tasting Environment)
$30 Tasting Fee Waived with 2 Bottle Purchase
Summary: Rhone, Zin, Bordeaux served paired with small bites. Located in town in the former train station.
2021 Ethereal White Rhone Blend (52% Viognier, 48% Roussanne).90 Points. .$38
2017 Theory 3 Rhone Blend (50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 8% Petite Sirah, 2% Tannat), 90 Points,. $55.
2022 Evanescence Rose Rhone Blend (32% Syrah, 27% Zinfandel, 21% Mourvèdre, 20%
Grenache), 88 Points, $32
2021 Elemental Zinfandel., 88 Points, $55.
2021 Elemental Petit Verdot, 88 Points, $55 .
2020 Elemental Cabernet Sauvignon, 87 Points,$55.
Let me know if you have any questions or comments.